Microsurgery is a general term for surgical procedures utilizing a surgical microscope to perform intricate operations on small structures. Through the microscope the surgeons sees magnified imaged of the structures or tissues. Currently microsurgery procedures utilize a classic conventional optical microscope. The basic conventional surgical microscope is constructed of high quality optical components, zoom objective lens, eyepiece for user view, light source and an XY motor. Microscopes usually have provision to have additional eyepieces for assistance. For some procedures, like neurosurgery, the microscope is connected to complex motion structures, providing motion in even 6 degree's in space. In addition, there are some more add-ons for special functions like cameras to capture/record the operation, projection displays to project symbols, UV light sources etc. The common ground for surgical microscopes is the stereo image, their fixed position above the patient (around 20-40 cm) and the connection of the user (or surgeon) to the microscope which sees the relevant object through direct optical channels. There are techniques to fold the light rays in the microscope to design a more comfortable and ergonomic structure for the user. However, because the microscopes are based on direct light rays channels, they are limited in their ability and flexibility to locate and shift the eyepiece. Simply put, the eyepiece of the conventional surgical microscope is mechanically connected to the optical system of the microscope, making the surgeon connected the microscope as well. During prolonged use of the microscope (in particular, surgical operations), the user must position her head fixed to the microscope for a long period of time. The long time that the user holds her head fixed to the microscope causes neck/back pains, fatigue and may influence the procedure quality.
Conventional microscopes are bulky and big, located in the most sensitive areas in the operation room, above the patient. The microscopes may obstruct the view and the motion of the medical staff around the operated area. When more than a single surgeon uses the conventional surgical microscope, all surgeons are constrained to view the same image with the same magnification. If the additional surgeon would have wishes to view a different field or a portion of the same field but at a different magnification, an additional microscope would have been required, thus further encumbering the operating room. Further additionally, due to the classic direct view method of the microscope, with no digital means and sensors, the users do not benefit the digital domain advantages.
Reference is now made to US Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0245600, to Hoffman et al., and entitled “Automated Panning and Digital Zooming for Robotic Surgical Systems”. This publication describes an endoscopic system for minimally invasive procedures. The endoscopic system acquires endoscopic images at a slightly higher resolution than that of the display, thereby allowing for digital zoom or panning. That is, the system selects a region of interest (ROI) for displaying to the user and crops the ROI out of the acquired image to fit into the display. The user views the cropped ROI via dedicated eyepieces or monitor, and therefore cannot move freely around the operating room while viewing the ROI. This publication describes employing robotic arms for performing surgical operations. The robotic arms obstruct the operating area. For example, the robotic arms might occlude a portion of the operating area and might obstruct the surgeon's access to the operating area. The camera in this publication is an endoscopic camera fitted into an endoscope and is therefore limited in size and resolution.
Reference is now made to International Patent Application Publication No. WO2011/142165, to Ogawa, and entitled “Operation Input Device and Manipulator System”. This publication describes an operation input device for employing robotic arms for performing remote surgeries. The operation input device includes a display, an operation unit, a head-mounted unit, relative position sensors, and a control unit. The operation unit operates a displayed object (e.g., a surgical robotic arm), which is displayed upon the display. The relative position sensors detect the relative position and the relative orientation of the head-mounted unit with respect to the operation unit. The control unit actuates the displayed object which is displayed within the display on the basis of the relative position and the relative orientation that have been detected by the relative position sensors.